Not that way
by Ventiwings
Summary: I have a girlfriend, but we're talking about my best friend, right? No, no, just close friends since childhood. She's going on a date? I have a girlfriend. That's not the question? I know what the question is; I'm not avoiding it.
1. Chapter 1

Not like that

Summary: I have a girlfriend – but we're talking about my best friend, right? Our relationship? No, no, just close friends since childhood. She's going on a date? No, I have a girlfriend. That's not the question? I know what the question was; I'm not avoiding the topic, I'm just saying that I have a girlfriend.

The 'You' does not refer to the reader, it'll make sense in the next chapter.

Originally, this was in third person, then I switched to first person and it ended up in second person.

*unbeta'd*

* * *

><p>It's Friday night and you decided to head to your best friend's house because she asked you a favor. Since you have a hard time refusing her requests (and the fact that she could kill you in your sleep) you head to her place after a chilly walk. Luckily, your girlfriend bought you a scarf and your best friend knitted you a pair of mittens you wouldn't be caught dead in, but because no one else was going to see you, you slip them on and tuck your hands in your coat pockets. After the chilly walk, you see her whip the door open with her hair tangled in a towel and she's only clad in her bathrobe.<p>

It doesn't bother you, because you're friends – _best _friends. Practically bros, but, y'know, she has breasts and you don't.

She starts blabbering about some nonsense and slams the door shut right after you step inside and start slipping off your brand named shoes. They're expensive and could easily be trashed by some stranger who doesn't realize how much you cherish them. …You really don't. Anyhow, you remove your shoes, shove them with your foot to the side and start pulling off the scarf, jacket and hat. The gloves remain in your hand because it's still _freezing_ and she has yet to offer you anything else but incoherent strings of sentences and eye candy.

However, she's your _best friend_, so it's not at all appealing. It's not making your face hot, or your heart race, not even makes you imagine what kind of body type she's been hiding beneath her baggy clothes. It doesn't matter because when you two are alone, she's not afraid to slip on a pair of really short shorts and a white tank top whose straps sometimes slip off her shoulders because she gets careless. After you let her finish her much heated prattling, you finally slip off the gloves and slip them in your coat pocket, and ask her what the problem is.

She suddenly gets quiet and embarrassed and acts like a little kid afraid to say that she stole from the cookie jar before dinner. Her lips start spluttering even more incoherent words and she presses her hands against her face to cover its reddening appearance. It's at this moment that you realize what she called you over for and you slowly go, 'ah…' as quietly as possible. At first you start thinking that, 'this was good for her', that 'she needs to go out on a nice date once in a while', that 'this isn't going to end good for the guy if he screws up'; and it somehow ends with, 'I gotta stop her from making a mistake!'

You realize how ridiculous that sounds; because both of you are well over seventeen and it's about time she went on a date. Then you clear your throat and discover that she stops her flustered stuttering and she checks the clock. She claps her hands together and bows slightly with the towel threatening to fall from her abnormally long hair. Her eyes are shut with focus and her lips shifts into a straight line, her teeth are probably (no not probably, _are_) grinding.

She's asking for advice and you have no idea on what to do. However, you're her _best friend_, the go to guy, her brother from another mother, and strictly nothing more. You decide to help, brushing off that nagging last thought, and start pushing her to her room so she could dress.

"Thanks, Len, I'm hopeless with dating," she tells you as she dives into her underwear drawers and doesn't mind that you see what she wears beneath her clothes. "I have no idea what guys like on a girl, like, at all." She finds a matching set and motions for you to turn around so you can't catch anything good. With a huff, you do as she says and hear the fall of the towel and robe and silence ensues because your disgusting thoughts are on the rise.

'She's making a mistake.'

'That guy isn't going to be good enough for her!'

'Why is she even going on a date?'

'Aren't _I _good enough?'

The last thought stops you from breathing and when you realize you're holding your breath, you start coughing and she rushes to you. You start feeling hot and brush her off. She's only in her undergarments and you avert your eyes, because you're still confused and you don't want to die in your sleep. Although, it doesn't matter, because she doesn't look at you like another guy – you're just a brother from another mother, that's it. She takes a step back and then digs in her closet and grabs sets of clothes that have a feminine touch.

None of them are entirely feminine – much unlike the clothes your girlfriend wears. For every pair of ripped pants your friend had, your girlfriend had a fancy skirt or dress that countered the collection of ratty jeans. Then she finally plucked out one that made you take a double take because when the _heck _did she put that in her closet?

"My mom bought it for me, that jerk, she thought it'd be funny," she huffed and then turns to the mirror and hangs the dress in front of her. It reaches to her knees, a huge ribbon placed at the front, and it hung by twin thin straps. You sigh and look at the discard clothes tossed on the floor and find a nice white jacket that fits the creamy dress nicely. She gasps in excitement and slips on the clothes, then twirls in front of you to show your work.

Surprisingly, she looks nice.

…Then you burst out laughing over the fact that she's wearing something so _girly _because she _never _wears something like _this_. She huffs and starts laughing in perfect unison with you until the both of you starting leaning against each other and collapse to the floor, eyes locked on the ceiling. You both stop and realize that you're merely enjoying the moment before everything crumbles down to reality. After this she's going on her date – not going to get up and offer you ice cream like before or start piling pillows on top of you. Before you know it, you sit up abruptly and slouch, staring blankly at the wall beside her bed.

It used to be taped up with your sloppy drawings that you made for her because she thought you so _talented_, but now it's her and her friends – her many _guy _friends. Guys you were fine with at first, but now, just _feel _so hostile to. When did the disgusting feeling start anyway.

Then she clonks you over the head with the stuffed frog you got her because you weren't able to get her the giant teddy bear she was eyeing at last year's carnival. It's green and its legs are dangling to the floor, the plastic eyes are staring at you because it knows something you don't. She brings it back to her and starts hugging it, possibly thinking about her date. You figure she is, but don't say anything, because this was _her _moment to shine as a girl; not _yours _to ruin it for her.

She tosses the frog onto her bed and you stare at it longingly, then avert your eyes and check back to her at her mirror. She's brushing her hair thoroughly and timidly, without the help of a sister or mother and she's chewing on her lower lip – a bad habit you tried helping her get out of. With a sigh, and knowledge of how much she sucks at this, you get up and grab the brush from her hand, and start doing her job. She puffs up her cheeks, and merely allows you to take command, while you're thinking of how _great _she looks all of a sudden.

"Having a guy fix a girl's hair is _crazy_," she comments while twirling a few strands around her finger. "But your girlfriend is so girly, it's not a wonder how much of her feminine charm rubbed off on you." You know she implied something dirty beneath those words, but you wave it off. It doesn't affect you in the slightest, and you have no motivation to combat it (even though you're supposed to since she's talking smack about your _girlfriend_). All you do is sigh and bear it.

You're done doing her hair and tie it up in pretty twin tails with the black and purple ribbons she bought out of a whim during last month's shopping trip. She gives a skeptic look in her reflection and you laugh while tugging on a handful of her locks and she starts crying out in surrender. "Not my fault that you have such insane hair," you say, jokingly and she takes the bait by spinning around and lightly punching you at the arm.

"Hey, hey, you're the one who told me to grow it out." It's true. You want to grow out yours just to piss off your demanding father, while she wanted hers to be short and messy (like a boy's) but you told her to grow it out because you didn't _like _girls to have such short hair. You know she'd do it because she did _everything _you told her and _believed _in every white lie.

"You don't have to listen to everything I say, idiot." You flick her off and laugh as she growls in frustration, then the doorbell rings and that's the end of that. She squeals in excitement and starts dashing out of her room and to the door. You stand there, shocked at her sudden speed and frigidly walk to her door, out the room and to the end of the hall, peeking out from behind the corner. She's animatedly talking to the guy at the door and you feel protective, so protective, in fact, you burst into their conversation.

She's not very thrilled about butting in, but doesn't speak a word (her eyes tell the story). You exam the boy and find out that he's a college student from the way he dresses and the fact that his car is nicer than yours. He's out of your league in competition, but you backtrack and remember:

You have a girlfriend.

So you excuse yourself from your initial thoughts and kindly let the guy in. He's polite and thinks little of your interruption, ruffling your hair and apologizes for the intrusion. Your friend leads him into the living room and offers him a drink and some snacks, then drags you into the kitchen with her after shutting the door. She's storming around the cabinets, grabs a bag of chips and dumps all of it into a plastic bowl; you grab a water gallon and some cups and start dunking the liquid into them.

"Are you _trying_ to embarrass me?" she asks and it leaves you mumbling beneath your breath.

"No, I just felt impulsive," you respond as nonchalant as possible.

"Hmph, well you might wanna leave, we'll be out most of the night."

You accidentally slip up with the water and watch it spill from the counter to the floor. The floor she usually sweeps every day for about ten minutes until every crumb disappears. You quickly grab a sheet of a paper towel and wipe the floor dry.

"Don't you think he's pretty old?" you question, hoping to dissuade her as you get up and crumple the paper towel in your hand.

She squeaks while rolling the bag up and coughs. "Age is but a number, besides, he's only two years older, it's legal," she answers with a flustered tone. You feel uncomfortable and toss the crumpled ball into the trash.

Suddenly, you don't feel like being here anymore.

"Well, I'll let you enjoy your _date_," you tell her, aggravated and storm out of the kitchen.

"Len?" she calls out, but you ignore her while stomping into your brand-named shoes and slip on your gear, forgetting about the mittens she made _specifically _for you that fell out of your pocket while you rushed out. As you trample through the well cut grass, angry thoughts ram themselves into your skull and you avoid thinking about how rash you are.

'You have a girlfriend' you tell yourself. You remind yourself. You _drill _it into your head. It was as if it was your mantra.

Then you storm back into your house, forgetting about everything else while you chant the same mantra over and over. Your phone starts vibrating in your pocket as you toss your outside gear on the floor and fall face flat on your couch. You dig into your pocket, half-wanting and half-despairing the fact that it _might _(seventy-percent might) be your best friend. Your eyes check the call ID and find that it's your girlfriend and everything crashes back on you.

_She's _the girl you're dating, not your best friend.

So you slide it open and pick it up and in a cool and collected voice you greet her.

"I'm sorry I cancelled last minute before, but I'm free now! Mom was overacting, thinking she got pregnant; it was _such _a panic in the house! I think my dad almost _fainted_!" she squeals on the other end of the line and you forget your anger for the time because this was your _girlfriend_. She should be the one who you care about more as a girl (well other than your mom) and what she's doing with her time. Not your friend who finally got in touch with her feminine side and saw guys as potential mates instead of non-blood brothers.

You sit there, listening to her ramble on and pitch in a few words because you know how much she _loves _talking about herself (when did she get so narcissistic anyway?) and you adjust yourself on the couch like a proper person. She giggles on the other line, telling you the story of how she and her cousin were at the mall and got an expensive pair of shoes for half off (which is about the eighth time she told you, but you don't say anything because it'd tick her off). Then she finally asks you about how you're spending your Friday night without her and you respond that you're just kicking back, missing her (because she _adores _it when you say such mushy things).

"Let's go on a date tomorrow," you suggest, not wanting the mood to end since it does after you start talking about yourself.

She giggles, "Sure, where to?"

You loll it in your head and just shrug. "Just a walk around the park, maybe rent a DVD or something?"

"Sounds good to me! Pick me up around eleven, okay?"

You attempt to make a joke, because you're bored and _that's _what you always do while you two are on the phone. If you weren't, you'd start kissing her like crazy because there's nothing else to do after the stories are all said and done. She would have her tongue wrapped around yours and you'd start pinning her to her bed and ignore everything else. Then she would start whispering that she 'loves you' and you just smile back and resume doing the same thing once more after taking a much needed breather. She tastes so good and lets you fool around with her even though it pisses off her dad.

Her fingers are tangled in your hair, undoing your ponytail and your hands are somehow up her shirt, fiddling with her bra straps. She pulls back to giggle at how pathetic you are at taking it off and pulls your hand out her shirt. You just laugh sheepishly, pretending to not know how to do it, but in reality, you just don't want to go _that _far with her; at least, not yet, because if you screw up with this relationship, your best friend would murder you for screwing a girl without being married to her. She just laughs it off and pounces back to you and you're back to the start.

She sarcastically laughs at the joke and you both hang up after working out the details, then you switch on the TV to see some old sit-com and remember how you were so into these before you started dating. You laugh at how poorly done the jokes were and drift to sleep after what's happened. However, before falling asleep, you feel your phone vibrate and see the caller ID.

It's not your girlfriend wanting to talk until you both fall asleep (she stopped doing that after the two of you started tongue brawling in her bedroom) but it was your _best friend _instead. Wasn't she supposed to be on her date? Your tired eyes check the clock at the corner of the screen and it states that it's only nine in the evening.

'Let her enjoy her date', you think and toss your phone at the other couch and drop dead asleep.

* * *

><p>Would you like it to be in third person next chapter or keep it as second person?<p>

This will only have two chapters (maybe three?) but don't count on it being a long story.

This is what happens when you try to write the next update of an ongoing fanfiction, but instead write something entirely different and would prefer to write it instead. Also...

You know those Len x Rin fics where Miku's the usual bad girl who tries to destroy their relationship or she's the girl who Len's going out with first and then he chooses Rin after cause Rin's in pain about it and Miku's an insufferable bit...er...girl? NOT THIS TIME. This might just be me being tired of those plots or just plain spiteful, but nonetheless, here's me combating about a hundred of those fics. Oh yeah, I'm _such_ a rebel.

Also! Check out my Valentine's Day fic writing contest! Wanna know more details? Hit up my profile and check the fanfiction **Just a way of saying**!

That's it from me, don't expect the second chapter to be written up any time soon for this.

~Ventus


	2. Chapter 2

Not like that

Summary: I have a girlfriend – but we're talking about my best friend, right? Our relationship? No, no, just close friends since childhood. She's going on a date? No, I have a girlfriend. That's not the question? I know what the question was; I'm not avoiding the topic, I'm just saying that I have a girlfriend.

The 'You' does not refer to the reader.

Originally, this was in third person, then I switched to first person and it ended up in second person.

COMPLETE.

*unbeta'd* (I'll beta read later)

* * *

><p>You're only hearing half of the conversation of your group of friends at the table with your girlfriend leaning against your shoulder, having a good time. She's laughing heartily and joins in on the word game everyone (but you, because you're just not up for it) is playing and having a jovial time doing so. They're all laughing and yelling at each other and you're wondering how everyone hasn't been kicked out of the diner yet. You sigh and just drag your cup around the table.<p>

"Why isn't Miku here yet?" You cringe at the question and you feel eyes prickling at you for the answer. They think of you as something akin to her _keeper_, someone to keep track of your loose cannon of a best friend and you feel the pressure bubble beneath your skin. Your girlfriend jerks you with her elbow, insisting you answer and you feel her jealousy flare in the depths of her eyes. She's fixing her bow and then plays with the pearl necklace you bought her on the day of your six month anniversary (whatever the heck that is) and you feel that she's not enjoying the prolonged answer.

Your first thought is, 'I don't know', but then you retract it because another comes to mind, 'She's probably with her new boyfriend', and it _kills _you on the inside. You don't want to know why and you don't want anyone else finding out so you just drink your cup of coffee as nonchalant as possible before answering with your initial thought. Someone stops you, thankfully and unthankfully; with words that stopped your heart and made you somewhat choke.

"She told me she was going on a date with some guy we met during a basketball game, so…" They all lean in, for some reason, and your girlfriend backs off for a bit. You have no idea what's going on in your head because you're too busy restraining yourself from beating the crap out of the guy who didn't stop Miku – your best friend, remember that – from meeting such a despicable creature. "What do you think about that, Len?" They're grinning like idiots and you're starting to lose your self-control, but you remember to play it cool.

"I have a girlfriend," you answer and realize that you _didn't _play it cool.

They're all silent and you give a quick glance at your girlfriend and can sense how out of place your comment was. You're not an idiot, you know what the question was and what it meant, and you just _chose _to sound like a moron for reasons beyond your comprehension. And yet, another one of your friends repeat the question, repeating it slowly so you could understand what the other was really asking. You refrain from growling at the guy – you're not an idiot, you just _chose _to state that you have a girlfriend to make them all feel bad.

Besides, she likes being stated that she's yours and that she has a boyfriend (just so she could flaunt it to her friends). You're not bothered by it, but, wow, how could you _not _be? You shove it in the back of your mind and just think of another way to play it, but instead, you screw up with your words once more. Of course you would, because you're a flipping moron who doesn't know when to shut up and think.

"…But we're talking about my _best friend_, right? Our relationship?" You sound like a ditzy teenager now instead of a guy who chose to play it cool around the others. "Just close friends since childhood." They're giving you a look, the type of look that makes you double take what the heck you just said and wish you could rewind the scenario. It's smart if you just stop talking and calmly think about the next set of words, but you don't – you're already screwing up, might as well go all the way with it.

You see, at the corner of your eye, the confused look of your girlfriend, how she's taking another fiddle with her pearl necklace. She's unsure of what you're trying to say and starts playing with the white ribbon you graciously bought for her on your first date. It made her look cute and it was the only thing you weren't embarrassed to buy when you were pushed into an accessory store by your best friend. Although, she was pretty embarrassed to walk in and find how many things caught her eye (because she's _such _a tomboy after all). Both of you weren't sure on what to buy and were much too prideful (and embarrassed) to ask any of the lady employees that were eyeing you and giggling after you shot a glance at their direction.

Everyone else didn't feel the time press against your heart as much as you did and you _wished _that their attention spans were short so that they could switch to a new topic. However, you _had _to say something or be forced to suffer from their insufferable theories of what might be happening on your best friend's date and how she might be going with it. You don't wanna hear it, but it's either that or admit how you feel about her spending intimate time with a guy who's two years older than the both of you and totally out of your league (…if you were a chick, but you're not, you're totally straight).

The clock's ticking away and you take another quick sip of you coffee. It's getting colder and so is your girlfriend's stare. "She's going on a date? No, I have a girlfriend." How much more words of wisdom are you going to spew today? You don't even know.

"Yes, we know you have a girlfriend," Rin states, frustrated. She's not pleased; your _girlfriend _(major emphasis there) isn't pleased at all.

You pause and feel like she's mentally preparing a lecture after the two of you are alone. The guys are watching the scene and you're left thinking, 'How do I fix this?' and you're hoping that you find a way or else you'll be even more screwed. Even though she may appear innocent and delicate, she's never afraid to show the devilish side to the sweet girl act. Time is prickling at you and you're not sure what nonsense you're going to spill from your lips, but your thought process is jumbled and your impulsiveness just takes control.

"That's not the question?" you laugh smoothly and take another drink, disliking the lukewarm taste of the coffee. You wish you took part of their word game earlier so you wouldn't be forced under such a terrible interrogation. "I know what the question was; I'm not avoiding the topic," you say that more to yourself than to the others, wishing it was true. Then you continue, waving your hand in the air. "I'm just saying I have a girlfriend. I just like to flaunt it, y'know?" you state and feel her lean against your shoulder, and her nails dig into your arm. She's not letting anyone see it to save her good girl act, and you restrain a flinch.

Oh great, now you two were going to have a _talk_.

"A-Anyway…" Stuttering wasn't helping the cause of your slip-ups and neither was your girlfriend. "It's fine- I'm fine- Miku can date whoever she wants," you finally say, but it's hesitant and the others could hear it too, _especially_ your girlfriend. She stands up abruptly and grabs her purse – another gift you gave her – and sling it on her shoulder. You're about to question where she's going until she makes eye contact with Gumi, the go to girl in the group of friends you made after you start dating Rin (and one of the few Miku socializes with) and you shut your mouth. Gumi sends a questioning glance at you, but you have no idea on how to respond, so she parts from her boyfriend's secure arm and slides out of the booth with ease.

Your girlfriend snaps her fingers at the boys in her way and they slide out, smart enough to avoid a girl's wrath and wait for her and Gumi to blend in with the other costumers and into the girl's room. You then check out how the others are looking at you and you sink into your seat, feeling the cushion sinking down with you. How much can you screw up in the matter of five minutes anyway? Well, you suppose that doesn't matter since you already lived through such an experience. They all murmur mixed comments of comfort or 'good luck with Rin, you know how she gets'.

Then someone jumps from their seat and you take a look at him, he's pointing frantically at the window and everyone turns to find your best friend waving at them with the college guy you met only a few days ago. Anger boils inside of you and you feel the urge to shatter the window and pull their interlocked hands apart – but you calm down by turning around and ignoring her happy waving. By the time you see everyone settling down, you hear the bell chime and your heart drops into your stomach. She flies through the door with her _boyfriend _in tow and your heart is dreading every second the pair is nearing your booth.

Don't you wish that you were sitting in a corner? Now you're stuck between several people and unable to escape. You can jump, but that would be too suspicious and suddenly wanting to leave or going ahead to confront Rin, your girlfriend (emphasis, emphasis!) would only bring your best friend to interrogate you (and you don't want that). So, you try to play it cool by mentally yelling that you need to _smile _already and finish the remains of your cold coffee.

She's coming closer and your body is trembling. You don't like her as a girl; she's like your little brother, that's it. _That's _what she's _supposed _to be seen as in your point of view from the first day the two of you became friends to the day you both die (even though that's pretty extreme…). There's a smile on her face and her hair is tied up with the black and purple ribbons, it's actually tied neatly and her hair is properly brushed with a curl here and there. Her mom must've done her hair and has most likely had a field day with it since her little Miku never had an interest with appearance before.

"This is Kiyoteru!" she introduces happily, while bringing him forward with her strength. He's easily pulled in and gives a polite, 'Nice to meet you all' to everyone as they introduce themselves. You're sinking in your seat, feeling outmatched and ignored. She doesn't even _greet _you the way she _usually _does (she tackles you into a hug with a headlock and ruffles your hair, even if your girlfriend is around) and you know that she's just _blinded _by the guy beside her. Well why not? He's not bad looking (much to your chagrin) and he's nothing short of a perfect gentleman with how he's conversing with everyone.

You wish you could just push your way out of the booth and take her into your arms, but you fight the thought. Where are these crazy fantasies coming from? You were never like this before! Now you feel as though she's moving on without you even though you _always _had an interest in girls while she just wanted to kick her soccer ball under the sun or shoot hoops in the rain. In the present time, you're possibly going to get the cold shoulder treatment from your girlfriend while your best friend is probably making out (oh no, no mental images please) with the guy beside her.

Everyone's lips are moving, but you can't seem to process a piece of what they're saying and you're freaking out.

"So, Miku." You catch, obviously interested. "How far did you get?" You slam your hands on the table at such a vulgar question and feel their eyes stab you with suspicious eyes. Oh…

Miku clears her throat, bringing the attention back to her (you know she did it to save you, she _always _does that) and winds a few strands around her finger. How _feminine _of her to do that. "That's disgusting," she spat truthfully and left the guy at a loss for words at how masculine her words came out to be. The Kiyoteru guy chuckles in amusement and checks his clock and you analyze this. Doesn't _he _seem to be professional-like? Whatever. "You guys have other couples to bother, like Len and Rin!" she comments and it stabs you – painfully stabs you – at the center of your heart when she says it so proudly.

"Those two? Well," there's a growing interest looming the air and you do not like it at all. "Len got in trouble with Rin, so he's not going anywhere today."

"Or for the rest of the week."

You wanna punch their faces to the ground (hating that their words are accurate), but hear your best friend laugh. You know how beautiful it sounds, but right now it's completely _captivating _and calm down. She knows how to tame you, how to handle you, and how you tend to do something idiotic (if she were here earlier, she would've stopped you from doing any of your slip-ups, and then you remember that it's _because _of her that you slipped up). She's still curling her hair around her finger while everyone's joking about your misfortune and you just sink down into the cushion.

"Miku, we have to go." She looks disappointed, but nods anyway and hooks her arm around his – much to your displeasure. She waves everyone good-bye and you notice that she's wearing an actual skirt and tank top with a denim jacket. Since when did she start wearing such flirty clothes without him suggesting her to?

Before anyone could utter a word, your girlfriend returns and you know that it's time for the _talk_. Before your best friend leaves, the two most important girls in your life cross paths (well not as important as your mom, of course) and one of them isn't in the mood for a third party to get involved. You're already skating on thin ice with the girl who lets you make out with her and in an uncertain dance with the girl who's making you feel conflicted with her sudden interest in the male population. Is this a feeling of brother-like protection or the latent feelings you held for her in your continuous friendship throughout the long run?

Either way, your thoughts are smashed apart when your girlfriend (the need to emphasize this is stuck in your throat) is beckoning you and brushes past your best friend (this too is stuck in your throat) without mumbling an apology. Gumi is watching the scene with a scowl on her face and shoots you an annoyed look as you stumble out of the booth and you agree with her – you'd get annoyed if someone was so unsure. She's actually seething with antagonistic feelings towards you (she's usually on the girl's side. No wait, scratch that, _always _on the girl's side) and you have no idea what kinds of things were said in the girl's room while you were being tormented by the sight of your best friend with another guy.

Your best friend just gives a low whistle as your girlfriend storms out of the diner. "Good luck with that, Len, her feminine charms might be dispelled from you for a while," she joked and you find yourself rolling your eyes. The guys merely laugh and the college guy beside her sighs at her underlying dirt. He urges for them to leave and she nods while letting you go on ahead first. "Go on, Prince Screw Up, your Princess is probably down the block."

You stare at her for what seems like the longest time and then you get it and reluctantly trudge towards the door. Your hands are trembling and your feet are shuffling against the tiled floors of the diner. "He's not good enough for you," you manage to say and sprint out of the place before you could think of anyone hearing you.

Despite the speed you took off in, you managed to hear her squeak, "Len!" and it chills you to the bone. You didn't want to hear _her _voice at such a tone or pitch when she's talking to you. It sounded too _feminine_, too much like a _girl_, nothing like a _sister_ or a _friend_ you merely see as _just _a friend. Your view of her is changing and you don't like it one bit. By the time you find your girlfriend with her arms crossed and her lips in the form of a stubborn pout, you're out of breath and panting. She's waiting for you to explain and you're waiting for your brain to process any sort of plausible explanation.

"So, Len, who's your _actual _girlfriend?" she asks while walking towards you with her boots stepping on the ground. You lift up your head to stare at the sky and the first thing you see is – no surprise here – no one (oh wait…that's really confusing…). "It _should _be me, right? That _is _what you kept saying at the diner to the guys." Her usually innocent voice is _spilling _with sarcastic tone and lots and lots of bite that you feel it eating at your conscience. She really likes to rub salt in the wound and you just take it because you learned how to deal with her when she got like this while dating her. Sadly, she's not going to back down at all until she gets her way.

"Y-You are," you say, but she notices the hesitation and removes her pearl necklace.

"Make up your damn mind!" she scolds and throws it at you. What was going on? You've known her to be irrational, but also know that once she makes up her mind, there's no use in changing it. You catch the necklace, look down at it in your hands and then back up at her to find her removing the childish ribbon and shove it in your chest. "Just don't bother me anymore."

"Rin," you start, stronger than usual. You don't want to lose her, she's _important _to you. She's your _girlfriend_ – not Miku.

"Shut it, Len, you know that this wasn't going to last long anyway," she snaps back and you feel offended. This was actually the longest relationship you've had with a girl. You earnestly believed that Rin would really stay beside you throughout high school (especially after the fallout with Miki when you found that she was more interested in your best friend than you) and couldn't believe what you were hearing. What really hurt was the fact that her declarations that she loved you while the two of you were in her room getting heavy started to replay in your head.

So they were all lies, huh? What a waste of time.

She doesn't even look apologetic and then whips out her phone. "I'm not gonna be you fall back girl when all you've done is ogle over that best friend of yours. Please," she spat and rolled her eyes while dialing something on her phone. You wince, not knowing that you've done that at all while you've been together with Rin – it's been almost a year since the two of you have been together and you were actually planning out the anniversary date. "It's been obvious to _everyone_."

"Obvious?" you parrot like an idiot. "What do you mean by that? You know I've always liked _you_," you inform, boiling with frustration while shoving her ex-belongings into your pocket. She scoffs and you're getting irritated with her.

"Just go, you're embarrassing yourself," she states and you're itching to throw a punch, but she's a girl and you're father (and best friend) disciplined you to be nice to the female population. However, she's getting so infuriating, you're about ready to break every rule you know.

"Just tell me why you're suddenly breaking up with me!" you yell and you can sense that you're making a scene. No one needs to tell you, because you're too emotionally distraught to care. Besides, maybe you wanted this to become a scene and make sure that you hold onto Rin and not fall into your disgusting desires of claiming your _best friend _and converting her into your _girlfriend_. She seems bothered, but you take this opportune moment of weakness and gather more air in your lungs. "What did I do _wrong_? Y'know, other than doing everything you wanted me to!"

Rin is speechless and you want to keep attacking, make her guilty for making a rash decision in your relationship. Before you can a car parks right behind her and there appears a guy and you're baffled. You've seen him around, he's been really close to Rin, and now you get it. All the pieces finally fit and you start laughing at how foolish you've been. She looks scared and then you rip the ribbon from your pocket and tie it around her wrist. It's silent between the two of you and the guy doesn't make a sound (good, he's smart).

"Playing me for a fool all along, eh?" you chuckle darkly and then finish tying the ribbon into a puffy bow. "Just keep it, y'know, as a goodbye present."

Then you take a step back and rake your hand through your hair. How much more can a guy take in a day?

"I-I'll leave you two, then," you mutter, feeling your voice crack. Why? You couldn't have seriously…no…actually, you were serious with Rin…she just wasn't serious about you. As you're about to break, someone tackles right into you and pulls you into a headlock. Your eyes snap wide and you discover your best friend ruffling your hair and holding you rather intimately after the headlock. She looks winded and you can feel her heart race from beyond her chest and you listen to it calmly. Maybe it'll calm you down, or maybe it'll just bash some sense into your thick skull.

"Sucks for you," she blurts out roughly and sticks out her tongue after she releases you and latches to your arm. Your _ex_-girlfriend is flustered and is obviously offended by the way your best friend is talking to her (as usual, she was never fond of the other girl). "Losing your chance on such a guy, but eh, oh well." Then she pulls down her lower eye lid and sticks out her tongue in such a childish matter that it almost makes you laugh. Even though you shouldn't since your heart was _stomped _on with stiletto-heeled boots. "Now go, wicked witch of the west! Leave and be gone!"

Rin's face is painted a scarlet and you glance between the two girls. Instead of letting out another catty remark in retaliation, she turns away from the two of you and whips open the car door, steps in and slams it shut. The guy at the driver's seat jumps, but he knows what to do and drives off onto the street. It's quiet and then Miku bursts out laughing and tugs at her ribbons. You notice that they got messed up during her run to you and her clothes are somewhat disheveled. The guy isn't anywhere to be seen and you find this a nice development.

Maybe this was a good chance to say something. Not about the sudden change of heart you had during the time span of a few days – no nothing like that because it'd be awkward and you just broke up with your girlfriend. She lets go of your arm and takes the ribbons off and her hair falls down and brushes against the back of her knees. She looks really beautiful and you catch yourself staring and heat up. This wasn't the time to think of her in such a light, and definitely not now since she'd figure you'd be too choked up after ending another bad relationship.

"You should probably go," you tell her, thinking about the guy she left behind for some reason. "H-He might be waiting…"

"Eh…" she mumbles and you watch her attempt to tie her hair up in a single ponytail. She's horrible at it and you find yourself smiling at her lame technique. "My best friend told me he wasn't good enough, I don't know why he's telling me to go to him now. It's quite a perplexing problem." You look at her in surprise and then ease up when she lets her hair drop once more and pockets the ribbons. "As punishment for messing up my outfit, you're going to fix my hair when we get to my house."

"…You're on a date." You feel so stupid for bringing that up again and she just shrugs. How boyish of her, yet you feel somewhat attracted.

"I guess I cancelled it when I ran off. Sheesh, it's like you need saving all the time."

This sparks an idea in your head and you let your impulsive nature take control. "So you were worried about me even though you were in the midst of catching an unsuspecting guy to be your boyfriend?" She's taken aback and looks ready to rumble with your words. With a smirk, she leans in forward, looking up at you (you've grown taller than her since high school started) and places her hands on her hips, trying to look tough.

"That guy isn't my boyfriend, he's my dad's friend's son and I was playing babysitter for him," she explained and punched your cheek. Wait, what? Your thoughts are in a fray and you're wondering why you didn't think of that in the first place. "He called it a date because that's what my dad told him to call it when we hung out. Also-" she tugged harder on your cheek and you were getting overpowered by the pull. "When a girl calls you to ask how you are, you're supposed to pick up. Sheesh, Kiyoteru was worried that he might've done something to upset you!"

You wanted to apologize, but she snapped your cheek back in place and grabbed the collar of your shirt. Your sudden thought was that she might (hopefully will) pull you down at her level and smash her lips on yours, but on the other hand, this wasn't some sort of romance story so that wasn't going to happen. Maybe she'll surprise you, since, she's been doing that today with her appearing outside of the diner and wearing such a cute outfit and coming to your rescue (although the last one isn't a worthwhile thing to say). Then she does a one-eighty once more and starts forcing you to follow her.

"You're gonna explain your mood swings to Kiyoteru or else he'll worry about troubling you," she orders and you look at her in what feels like surprise, but it washes away and you grasp her hand. She loosens her hold and decides to grab hold of your hand instead. You like the feel of her hand more than usual and you squeeze it tight, not wanting to let go. She's rambling about the nonsense you've been pulling for the past couple of days and you just nod and hum every time she wants a response. "You're such a load of trouble, Len, seriously."

She rolled her eyes, you can just tell because you guys are _so _painfully close. In the heat of the moment, you bring up her hand (after closing the small distance between the two of you) and murmur in a daze, "I like you." You don't even catch it until you stop and she does. You're waiting to hear her response, but she continues to walk, after slipping out of your weakened grasp and then stops. She crosses her arms and taps her foot, and then she looks down and untangles her arms.

"I know," she tells, after craning her head a bit to see you from the corner of her eye. She sticks out her tongue playfully and you feel somewhat annoyed. "You're so obvious." Then she high tails it out of there and you chase after her, angry that she played with you.

"Come back here!" you growl in anguish. So she made you feel conflicted all this time? Was she worse than Rin who strung you along while she was flirting some other guy without you knowing? Woman are so-

"If you're gonna be my boyfriend, you gotta learn how to catch me!" Miku explains and you stop in place, ignoring everyone pass you by as you see Miku's smiling face look back at you and you're dumbstruck, flabbergasted, shocked at what she said. She's waving her arm at you, beckoning you to hurry and then resumes running back to Kiyoteru while you feel a grin on your face and run after her. You just broke up with your long time girlfriend and somehow spill the feelings towards your best friend…and then somehow hooked up with her.

However…

You're panting heavily at the run and find your best friend (or is it girlfriend now?) latched on the arm of Kiyoteru. He looks somewhat amused and apologetic to you and you raise a brow, wondering why he's like that. Your best friend (or is girlfriend? You gotta make up your mind here) isn't pleased with what she saw the moment you appeared five feet before them. "Stupid Len, so slow, now we're not going out," she informs and you're dumbstruck once more. "You gotta work on running."

You start to riot against her comment, but she stops you with a wink and attractive grin.

"I told you the rules; you gotta catch me if you wanna date me." Then she tugs at Kiyoteru arms after leaving you speechless. "C'mon, the movie's probably started now, we might miss SONiKa and Big Al's newest movie!" she urges and Kiyoteru is nodding his head. Now that you look at him, he's akin to an older brother to her and it puts you at ease. She finally gets them to move and you're merely watching, trying to digest the rush of development in your head (why did this happen so fast anyway?) and then you see her taking another look back at you.

You stare right at her and she winks at you once more.

"Try to catch me when I get back to my house." It fills you up with motivation and you nod with a grin.

You were _definitely _going to improve your running before that movie ends.

* * *

><p>Okay so VictimOfDoubt commented that this was a two-timer fic (not forthright or anything, but she did comment on that) and I didn't notice at all. I just saw it as a dilemma of either taking a chance at risking a long time friendship or taking it to the next level...but then you have a girlfriend (Len's case in the story). Also, yeah... I know you wanted her (Rin) to have a happy epilogue and I did say that it was most likely going to happen...but...it sorta didn't go in my favor.<p>

Rin wasn't originally going to be such a frustrating character, but from the phone conversation in the last chapter, the road was somewhat paved to go down this path. Who was the guy and what relationship did Rin have with him? I'll let you, the reader, think of it cause I'm not writing anything more into that. He could be a friend who had hidden feelings for Rin (like how Len did for Miku) or the second boyfriend she had tucked away from Len's eyes, whatever, I didn't want to delve into that matter (Len's just jumping to a conclusion, thinking that the guy is the reason for his and Rin's sudden break up).

Yeah Miku has noticed that Len likes her (she just wanted him to realize it on his own) and what about her feelings to him?Well...I think it's pretty clear.

Do they end up together in the end? I'll let you guys decide.

Rushed? Yeah, most definitely, that's why I gave it an ending like this. I don't like rushed relationships, especially if you get into a relationship after you broke up with someone. Keep in mind that Len and Rin have been together for almost a year in this story, I can't have Len suddenly hook up with Miku. Also, Miku knows this, so that's why she made up the rules.

Also, it's almost three in the morning (as I type this) and I have school, but if I slept before completing this chapter then I would've forgotten about it.

Eh...oh...yeah in this entire two shot, this is the most I've ever used italics. It's really weird.

~Ventus


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